Legendary rock band KANSAS Headlines the 23rd Annual Peach Drop on New Year’s Eve

The party starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday, December 31 and goes until 3 a.m. New Year’s Day. The celebration features fun for the whole family, live performances and of course, the Peach Drop at midnight. Rocking in 2012 will be legendary rock band, Kansas! They’re responsible for chart toppers “Carry On My Wayward Son” and “Dust in the Wind.”

The fun starts at 11 a.m. on New Year’s Eve with carnival-style rides, face painting, balloon artists, photos with exotic birds and more. If you want to watch the Chik-fil-a Bowl, head over to Kenny’s Alley to catch it on the big screen. And it get’s better: This celebration features live music all day long on multiple stages featuring local and national acts!

The 23rd Annual Peach Drop is a free event taking place at Underground Atlanta, for more information please visit http://www.peachdrop.com.

Win Tickets to see Foster the People at Verizon Wireless at Encore Park on June 7!

foster the people :: heart of gold (neil young cover) live at criminal records, atlanta, ga 6/30/2011 from Emily Hogan on Vimeo.

Foster the People will return to Atlanta on June 7 and we’re giving away tickets! Fill out the form below to enter.

Los Angeles-based indie-pop three-piece Foster the People have been rocking crowds all over since 2009. Since their hit song “Pumped Up Kicks” went viral, they’ve been unstoppable. They released their debut album, Torches, in May 2011. They’ve topped the rock charts, appeared on popular talk shows, and they’ve gained success with both indie and mainstream audiences. The last time they were here in Atlanta they played a free, acoustic in-store to a packed crowd at Criminal Records and sold out the Masquerade Music Park.

Tickets go one sale for their show at the Verizon Wireless at Encore Park on Friday, December 16. Tickets will be available HERE.

Check out the video of Foster the People covering “Heart of Gold” above.

Win Tickets to see Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion at The EARL on Thursday, December 8

Husband-and-wife duo Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion have been making music together for over ten years. They released their first full length in 2005, and their fourth album, Bright Examples, is out now. They make twangy pop folk with a Fleetwood Mac vibe. They’ll be at The EARL on Thursday, December 8 and we’re giving away some tickets! Fill out the form below to be entered to win.

Last Chance to Enter Scoutmob’s Live Like a Groupie Sweepstakes

Everyone loves Scoutmob, right? They hook us up with the best deals around town on food, shopping and more. Well, are you ready to love them a whole lot more? Scoutmob and The EARL are giving one lucky person $800 worth of concert tickets for a whole year. Yes, that’s two zeros after that eight making it $800. For a whole year. If you go to a lot of concerts this is a dream come true.

By now you’re probably asking, “Well, how do I enter this awesome sweepstakes?” It’s easy as pie! First, sign up for Scoutmob‘s newsletters (totally worth the KBs and GBs in your inbox), click here, fill out the form and BOOM, you’re in. Bonus points in the form of more entries if you share the sweepstakes with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and email. So get going, time’s ticking!

Win Tickets to see Mastodon at The Tabernacle!

After releasing their fifth studio album, The Hunter, earlier this year, our favorite hometown metal guys are back on the road, and will be coming back to Atlanta for a show at The Tabernacle on December 2. The likes of The Black Lips, DIllinger Escape Plan, Red Fang and more will be making the merriment complete. We have a few tickets to give away, and all you have to do is enter by filling out the form below.

Whatta Yer Thankful Fer? O Brother & Harrison Hudson; Playing The Stuffing, Nov. 23

By Eileen Tilson/ @tktalt_tn

OB: I will be spending the first half of the day at my fiance’s grandparents house and then the second half will be at the O’bro house where we have a tradition of cooking and eating Thanksgiving dinner in our PJs.

HH:  I am having Thanksgiving with my mom before we play the stuffing. So I’m gonna have a mild dusting of a coma before our set. The next day will be football and thanksgiving at my dad. My buddy Ping and the band will be tagging along for mom’s then they head back after the show to spend Thanksgiving in Nashville.

Describe your perfect Thanksgiving meal.

OB: 2 turkeys, one cooked in the oven and the other deep fried (I’ve never had a deep fried turkey before), a honey baked ham, sweet potato casserole packed full of candied pecans and marshmellow, green bean casserole (I guess we need at least one green thing in there), an ungodly amount of super chunky smashed potatoes, home made biscuits, and all of that doused in sriracha.

HH: Well my brother John smokes a turkey for my mom’s, and my dad fries one. so I get the best of both worlds. My mom’s is a lot more intimate and chill. My dad’s usually has some rando guests which always makes it interesting.  I’m really bummed this year because we won’t be having my uncle jeff’s famous giblet gravy. Only true southerners know the wonder and amazement of giblet gravy. mmmmm. So basically THANKSGIVING IS RUINED!!!!!

What’s your most memorable Thanksgiving?

OB: I never remember any of them because I usually black out due to food coma before dessert time.

HH:  One year my family spent thanksgiving in Destin on the beach and my uncle jeff took me fishing. We didn’t catch anything, but he passed along some wisdom and it felt like one of those moments. I like those moments. It was fun.

What are you the most thankful for?

OB:  I am thankful for all the loved ones that I have in my life and I am thankful for being able to do what I love most… eating.

HH:  Tim Tebow. (Just kidding i hate Gator football) I’m most thankful for a healthy family. Some of my friends have lost relatives that were too young this year. Death seems unnatural at any age, but I’m selfishly thankful that my family will be with me this year.

Win Tickets to see Bell X1 at Smith’s Olde Bar!

Bell X1 will be at Smith’s Olde Bar on Friday, November 11. We’re giving away tickets to see them, fill out the form below to be entered to win! Or buy your tickets at the button if you’re not feeling so lucky.

Bell X1 is a three-piece rock band from Ireland. The band’s name comes from the first aircraft to break the sound barrier, which was flown by Chuck Yeager in 1947. They released their sixth studio album, Bloodless Coup, in April. Check out the video for the track “Sugar High” on YouTube or above now.

Win Tickets to Black Tusk and More at the Drunken Unicorn!

We’re giving away some tickets to shows coming up at the Drunken Unicorn. Check out the list below and then fill out the form on the bottom to be entered to win!

Black Tusk is “the rising star of Savannah’s metal underground — mix of heavy metal and hardcore sounds into a frightening blast of hellfire,” says SPIN Magazine. They’ll be at the Drunken Unicorn on Saturday, October 29.

Koo Koo Kanga Roo is a two-piece dance crazy pop band from Minneapolis. Their live show unlike anything you have ever seen. It’s a fun dance extravaganza for kids and adults of all ages! Koo Koo Kanga Roo will be dancing their way into the Drunken Unicorn on Tuesday, November 1.

Purity Ring is Megan James and Corin Roddick, they call their brand of electronic music “future pop.” Catch them at the Drunken Unicorn on Wednesday, November 2 with New Animal and Featureless Ghost.

Circle Takes the Square is Kathleen (Coppola) Stubelek, Andrew Speziale, Caleb Collins and David Rabitor. The band plays “punk rock about the end of the world.” Circle Takes the Square will be at the Drunken Unicorn on Monday, November 7.

Premonition 13 is the new project of Scott “WINO” Weinrich, Jim Karow, and Matthew Clark. Their debut album 13 is out now on Volcom Entertainment. Catch Premonition 13 at the Drunken Unicorn on Thursday, November 10 with The Gates of Slumber.

Rubblebucket sound “like hippies who have taken over a city, hog-tied any uptight citizens, and painted all the yucky grey/brown buildings in acrylic colors and neon war paint,” says LA Music Blog. They’ll be at the Drunken Unicorn on Saturday, November 12 with Baby Baby.

Win Tickets to Anika, Brandt Brauer Frick and Cloud Nothings

We’re giving away some tickets to upcoming shows at the Basement and the 529 from Tight Bros. Check them out below and then fill out the form on the bottom.

Anika is the German singer backed by Portishead’s Geoff Barrow’s project Beak>. “Anika and Beak> instead focus on teasing the emotional intricacies out of old songs and styles by pairing them with rougher, niche sonics,” says Pitchfork in their review of Anika‘s self-titled debut. Catch them at the Basement on Thursday, October 27.

Brandt Brauer Frick is a trio of classically trained musicians that make electronic dance music from Berlin. Their album Mr. Machine is available now. See them at the 529 on Sunday, October 30.

Cloud Nothings is a Cleveland-based pop punk band. It started as a bedroom recording project by Dylan Baldi and since expanded into four-piece. They’ll be at the 529 on Tuesday, November 8 with Gold-Bears.

Win Tickets to Mike Doughty and More at The Loft!

We’ve got some tickets to giveaway to a few shows coming up. They’re listed below along with an entry form!

Formerly of the 90′s alternative band, Soul Coughing, Mike Doughty has made a name for himself as a solo artist. He recently released Yes and Also Yes on ATO Records in August of this year. He’ll be at The Loft on Thursday, October 27.

Pop singer-songwriter and actress Kate Voegele released Gravity Happens  on ATO Records in May of this year. She’ll be at The Loft on Saturday, November 12.

Parachute is a rock band from Charlottesville, Virginia. The members of Parachute graduated from college in 2008, made music their full time gig, and released an album. Their efforts have paid of for sure. They released their sophomore album, The Way It Was, in May of this year. Parachute will be at The Loft on Friday, November 18.

Win Tickets to Celebration, Arbouretum & Back Pockets at The EARL!

Celebration

Celebration, Arbouretum and The Back Pockets will be at The EARL on Thursday, 10/27.

Celebration is a psychedelic soul band from Baltimore, MD. The band was started by the vocal powerhouse Katrina Ford, multi-instrumentalist Sean Antanaitis, and drummer David Bergander in 2004. Celebration has released three albums and worked with David Sitek of TV on the Radio. Their most recent release is a self-released, innovative album called Hello Paradise. It’s available now on Friends Records.

Arbouretum is joining Celebration at The EARL. The band was started in 2002 by Dave Heumann. They’re a psych-folk outfit from Baltimore, MD. They recently released The Gathering on Thrill Jockey.

And get their early to see Atlanta’s own Back Pockets open the show. The Back Pockets is the brain child of Emily Kempf. The Back Pockets insane, art rock sound is loud, in your face and is a must see live.

You can get a chance to win tickets to this show by filling out the form below!

Come Support A Good Cause! 2011 AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run Will Take Place October 16

On Sunday, October 16, Piedmont Park will host the 21st annual AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run. The event has grown to be the largest AIDS-related fundraising event in the Southeast. In 2010 alone, the walk had 10,000 registered participants and raised $920,000.

AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run has stayed true to its affirmation of “Every Life Deserves Hope” by raising funds for organizations in the metro-Atlanta area that provide imperative programs for over 25,000 people infected or affected with HIV/AIDS. AID Atlanta and nine other non-profit organizations provide treatment, medications, prevention education, meals, housing, mental health services, child care, substance abuse counseling, pastoral care, and clinic research.

Registration for the 2011 AIDS Walk Atlanta & 5K Run opened on May 1st. To register or for more information please visit www.aidswalkatlanta.com or call (404) 876-WALK (9255).

5GB With Jack Of Hearts; Playing Highland Ballroom Oct. 1

By Eileen Tilson

It is obvious that word of mouth is the powerful tool in marketing, and thus when I continued to be asked whether I had heard any of the music from Atlanta four-piece, Jack of Hearts, I knew I had to hear for myself. The band recently released their debut album, Hard Feelings, and have played with the likes of local favorites, Stokeswood, Jungol, and Nappy Roots. Guitar/vocalist David Courtright joined us for our 5GB series before their show tomorrow.

What is the the first gig you ever went to?

It was Grateful Dead in March of ’93 or ’94 — the last show they played in Atlanta before Garcia died. I don’t remember it that well — I was only nine, but I do remember hippies dancing in the aisles and dancing with them. And the smell of weed smoke. Never forgot that one after that.

Best gig you have ever played/performed at?

Either our album release show this August at The Basement in East Atlanta, which was our biggest show in terms of attendance, or at The Relaxo Lounge in Toronto on our east coast tour we just got back from last week. It was such a bitch getting over the border (and even worse coming back in), but we met so many amazing people and played with this awesome Toronto band called Appleseed. Really nice people, beautiful city. And they took us to a speakeasy on the late-night tip. But we’d never live there in winter. Hell no.

Best gig you’ve ever been to?

Joanna Newsom with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. I flew back to Atlanta from my family’s Thanksgiving vacation in Charleston to see this. They weren’t very impressed, but it was totally worth it. She played Ys. in its entirety. Amazing. Everyone was crying. That or Neil Young at the Fox May of 2010. He played After the Gold Rush on this crazy organ, and it was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard.

What is the gig you would most like to play?

At this point, probably SXSW next year. We’re in the process of doing our application and lining up showcases. We’ve heard so much about Austin, and can’t wait to go. That or NXNE in Toronto, which we were invited to when we were up there.

If you could put your dream lineup on a gig, who would it be?

Maybe Grizzly Bear and Radiohead, though I could probably name about a thousand others we would die to play with.

Jack of Hearts plays with Bosco and What Happened to Your Fire Tiger at the Highland Ballroom, Oct. 1

What’s Up Wednesday?

As I write this I am currently recovering from a fun night with my closest ones, and the thought of going out tonight seems rather exhausting, but if you are feeling frisky tonight, here are some great things for you to do.

-Tonight starts the two day shows at the Cobb Energy Center for the ever so awesome Wilco, and with Nick Lowe joining them, you definitely don’t want to miss these.

-Prog rockers, Umphrey’s McGee will be jam banding it up at The Tabernacle.

-With his new What Were You Hoping For?, Van Hunt employs a spare but dizzyingly vibrant meld of day-glo psychedelic soul laced with glammed-up riffs and the acerbic energy of punk. Check him tonight at The Earl.

-It takes a certain type of musician to hop freight trains and barrel across the vastness of North America with his brother and cousin.  Especially for an artist who, just years before, sold out Madison Square Garden for three consecutive nights. Chad “Chadwick” Stokes is anything but a typical rock star. Check him out tonight at The Loft.

-For an awesome night of Blues, definitely head over to Eddie’s Attic to catch local fave, Joe McGuiness as he plays with Casey Dresissen and the Colorfools.

Meet Mastodon @ Criminal Records On Tuesday, September 27th!

Hometown heroes, Mastodon return to Criminal Records in Atlanta to celebrate the release of their new album, The Hunter. The guys will be signing copies of The Hunter on Tuesday, September 27th, at 6:00pm! Also, AMG is giving away a Mastodon Prize Pack to one lucky winner! Prizes including:

T-Shirt – Hunter Head (Black) Large

Mastodon koozie

Mastodon Military Hat

Mastodon regular CD

Enter to win below!

Stop by Criminal Records and pre-order the new album on CD, CD+DVD, or LP to get a ticket into the event to meet Mastodon on 9/27!

CRIMINAL RECORDS: 1154-A Euclid Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 / (404) 215-9511.

http://www.mastodonrocks.com/news/meet-mastodon-atlanta-27th